Optimization of performance measures in Doroodzan Irrigation Network

Abstract In this research, the performance measures of water equity and productivity have been optimizedin the entire DoroodzanIrrigation Network by using genetic algorithms. Results indicated thatirrigation water management improvement at field scale[increasing irrigation application efficiency (Ea) and water reduction fraction (WRF)] has much more impressive impact on raising the performance measures than improvement of conveyance efficiency of channels (Ec).Increment of Ea (40% to 90%) andEc (70% to 90%)resulted inmaximumand minimumincremental effect onwater equity (on average 48.2% and 17.7%, respectively) and productivity (on average 92.0% and 10%, respectively).The incremental effect of WRF (0.0 to 0.8)on water equity and productivitywas on average31.4% and 10%, respectively.Furthermore, the values of performance measures decreased from wet water year to drought water year.Tape irrigation system was considered as the best choice at low quantities of WRF ( lt;=0.4),however for higher values of WRF ( gt;=0.6), sprinkler irrigation system was considered as the best choice for achieving higher values of water equity and productivity.Meanwhile, when equity and productivity were considered together for a specific method of deficit irrigation scheduling, under specified quantity of irrigation water, with increasing equity the water productivity reduction was negligible.